John - 18:34



34 Jesus answered him, "Do you say this by yourself, or did others tell you about me?"

Verse In-Depth

Explanation and meaning of John 18:34.

Differing Translations

Compare verses for better understanding.
Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?
Jesus answered, Sayest thou this of thyself, or did others tell it thee concerning me?
Jesus answered: Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or have others told it thee of me?
Jesus answered him, Dost thou say this of thyself, or have others said it to thee concerning me?
Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing from thyself, or did others tell it thee concerning me?
Jesus answered him, 'From thyself dost thou say this? or did others say it to thee about me?'
Jesus answered him, Say you this thing of yourself, or did others tell it you of me?
"Do you say this of yourself, or have others told it you about me?" replied Jesus.
Jesus made answer, Do you say this of yourself, or did others say it about me?
Jesus responded, "Are you saying this of yourself, or have others spoken to you about me?"
"Do you ask me that yourself?" replied Jesus, "or did others say it to you about me?"

*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.


Historical Commentaries

Scholarly Analysis and Interpretation.

Of thyself - From any conviction of your own mind, or any apprehension of danger. During all the time in which you have been praetor, have you seen anything in me that has led you to apprehend sedition or danger to the Roman power? This evidently was intended to remind Pilate that nothing was proved against him, and to caution him against being influenced by the malicious accusations of others. Jesus demanded a just trial, and claimed that Pilate should not be influenced by any reports that he might have heard of him.

Sayest thou this thing of thyself - That is, Is it because my enemies thus accuse me, or because thou hast any suspicion of me, that thou askest this question?

Jesus answered him, sayest thou this thing of thyself,.... That he was the king of the Jews: Christ's meaning is, whether he asserted this from the sentiments of his own mind; or moved the question from anything he himself had observed, which might give him just ground to suspect that he had, or intended to set up himself as the king of that nation:
or did others tell it thee of me? Whether the Jews had not intimated some such thing to him, out of malice and ill will? not but that Christ full well knew where the truth of this lay; but he was desirous of convincing Pilate of his weakness, if he so judged of himself, and of his imprudence and hastiness, if he took up this from others; and also to expose the baseness and wickedness of the Jews, to charge him with this, when they themselves would have made him a temporal king, and he refused; and when he had not only paid tribute himself to Caesar, but had exhorted them to do the like.

Jesus answered . . . Sayest thou this of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?--an important question for our Lord's case, to bring out whether the word "King" were meant in a political sense, with which Pilate had a right to deal, or whether he were merely put up to it by His accusers, who had no claims to charge Him but such as were of a purely religious nature, with which Pilate had nothing to do.

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